Fall has arrived in Colorado — and that means comforting soups for chilly nights, lots of cozy root vegetables, and all the season’s bounty of squashes and gourds. Thankfully, the kitchens in our Stepping Stone™ community by Shea Homes® have 30-inch ranges, gleaming countertops, and large pantries so you can cook in both style and comfort. Read on for three recipes you can cook this month that simply scream “fall”!
Pumpkin Everything!
Nothing is more emblematic of fall cooking than pumpkin’s rich flavor and deep orange color. Though you might be most familiar with pumpkin in sweet lattes and pies, the gourd is also perfect in savory applications. You can add pumpkin puree to dishes you already know and love — like mac and cheese, Thai or Indian curries, and more. Try this recipe for pumpkin chili with ground turkey, veggies, and toasty, fiery spices.
You can use canned pumpkin puree or make your own by roasting halved pumpkins — just be sure to use pumpkins labeled “sugar” or “pie” for optimal sweetness. You can even pick your own pumpkins for carving or roasting at Parker’s own Flat Acres Farm, located less than a ten-minute drive from Stepping Stone™.
Sweet Meets Savory
Grapes flourish in the fall months in Colorado — our dry and warm climate means that come September and October, grape vines all over the state are laden with sweet jewels perfect for wine, snacking, and more. Riesling, Concord, and Cabernet Franc grapes are all popular grape varieties grown in the state. Grapes shine in a cheese plate or on their own straight from thevine, but their sweetness when cooked can add a delicious tang to savory dishes. Try pairing roasted juicy grapes with earthy thyme and creamy Brie cheese, all topping slices of crusty bread.
Soup Season
If there’s one thing we know about fall, it’s undoubtedly the season of soups. Soups are ideal for warming up your bones as the nights grow longer and colder, and their versatility and ease to reheat makes them easy lunches to prep ahead of time. Fall is also the season for root vegetables like carrots, beets, and parsnips, which are hardy enough to survive and thrive underground when temperatures above-ground start to dip. Carrots’ mild flavor and sunny orange color make them the perfect vehicle for a nourishing soup customizable to your personal taste. Keep it simple with onion, garlic, and chicken broth for kiddos’ palates, or kick it up a notch with fiery curry paste, ginger, and coconut milk for the adults. When the evenings start to get chilly, enjoy this soup with a blanket out on the patio of your cozy Stepping Stone™ home.
Though you may not want summer’s heat and long days to end, you’ll welcome fall’s warm flavors and comforting meals with these fall recipes. Don’t forget to check out our available Stepping Stone™ homes for all the kitchen space you’ll need to whip up a culinary masterpiece!